Lunar Eclipse! (and the ranting of a grumpy astronomer)

Make sure you see the total lunar eclipse happening on the 26th of May 2021 it will be cool! Whats with the media calling these blood moons and all manors of weird and stupid name that make no sense? This astronomer needs to have a rant about it.
Link for eclipse times:
www.timeanddat....

[@RyanRidden]

Turns out they are calling it a flower Moon because its spring in the Northern hemisphere... Impeccable logic!

[@michaelmayhem350]

It's a conspiracy by the werewolves to get us to stop using the bloodmoon terminology

[@rebeccaplowman6367]

Whatever gets the clicks.

[@austinweekley7520]

@@michaelmayhem350 😆 🤣

[@oliver4886]

I might be a few months too late, but here's what I noticed: Released in march 2015 (announced in 2014) was a probably fairly influential game called 'Bloodborne', in which the moon had a fairly influential role, lore wise. Since that game sold more than 6 Million copies the name might have originated here.

[@arimcbrown]

Those “god rays” keep showing the floating fluf in the room…

[@RyanRidden]

They were particularly present in this video unfortunately. Can't be avoided when you have a fluffy dog and cat running around!

[@mimimaitri1]

Ignoring the “blood” and “super” moon media choices (I agree its annoying and misleading), we have to remember that astronomers don’t get exclusive ownership of the terms people want to use in relation to the moon. Many ancient cultures had lunar based calendars. In many Native American cultures in particular, each lunar cycle was given a name that often reflected what was going on in nature at the time of the full moon. May was and is known as flowering moon, planting moon, budding moon, etc, depending on the native culture and geography. Some of that seeped into white culture here in the US. At least, you see it in the Farmer’s Almanac, and on TV during meteorologist segments.

[@RickMacLennan]

There was a Magic: the Gathering card called Blood Moon that was released in 1994. Not sure where the term comes from either, but was definitely around by the early 90s

[@themadman5615]

That ending was absolutely great.

[@CheyDax1]

I heard the term "Blood Moon" in the late 80's-early 90's when I lived in Orlando Florida, the news referenced it as such.

[@RyanRidden]

Interesting! I think it is more of an American term. Most of the lunar eclipses in the tetrad were visible in the USA, so I think it bled through to other places from all the American media coverage on it and stuck. It definitely is a more emotive name, so I can see why people keep using it!

[@DavidGreen_au]

Never underestimate the power of the media to blow something out of proportion to garner interest (ie. Ratings).

[@klausgartenstiel4586]

i propose that what happens inside people's heads *does* matter, because culture itself is also something that mostly happens in people's heads.🌛

[@caffiend81]

I've been ignoring blood moons and super moons for years until I saw you had something to say about them because I knew what you had to say wouldn't be bullshit. 🤣

[@RyanRidden]

Awesome! I always try to understand what the physical implications of an equation are, which helps me understand. I often find that pure mathematics is harder for me to understand, probably for that reason!

[@AmazePaulz]

your message to the media made me laugh. I should record the cackle!

[@silviomanuel473]

I feel for you lol. But on the other hand - this is an astronomical event that anyone can observe and feel a little bit closer to outer space. Like "I'm kind of an astronomer myself", and a good way to hook up more people to it is a catchy name. Because even if the moon doesn't appear much bigger than it always is, many peoples will go out and look at the moon directly for the first time in months if not years, and I think it's great, even if a bit stupid. And of course a question. If a full lunar eclipse is not much, what is an astronomical event that is worth observing (and can be observed with the naked eye or at least without an expensive telescope)? Or let's put it that way, what are, in your opinion, the underestimated astronomical events that deserve way more credit than they receive?

[@williamgorham7339]

Hey Ryan search on r/astrophotography for Rho Ophiuchi and Lunar Eclipse. This photo was also shot in New Zealand 🇳🇿 over 10 minutes during totality. I figured you would like this but KZbin will not let me link it. Edit:see comment below for the link. 😀🔭🌌

[@williamgorham7339]

www.reddit.com/r/astrophotography/comments/nmwyyx/rho_ophiuchi_and_lunar_eclipse/?

[@RyanRidden]

Oh wow that looks awesome! It definitely makes me want to get back into astrophotography!

[@MrAWG9]

Flower Moon is from The Farmers Almanac.

[@AnyZee]

Super Blood Flower Moon sounds like a menstrual product 🤔

[@brownro214]

Ryan, April showers bring May flowers, hence the May full moon is the flower moon (Google "traditional full moon names" for the whole list). As for the "blood moon," check out the Wikipedia page on Blood moon prophecy. This explanation coincides with your 2014 Google trend.

[@ronmani9476]

Im with ya.... I never knew there were so many "moons", seems like theres a new one every month now (hmmm... that wasnt meant to be a play on words Im not that clever lol). It is getting a bit ridiculous though flower moon? beaver moon? super flower blood moon? Ah well, if it gets some kids interested in looking away from their phones and up to the sky Im okay with it.

[@brownro214]

The kids, if they are interested at all, will probably watch on their phones.

[@RyanRidden]

If it does lead to more people being engaged with the world around them then it's probably positive, but I also often see a bunch of composite of fake images after these hyped up events, which create unrealistic expectations for reality. At least it will be interesting to see how they hype up similar events in the next few decades!

[@toothpastehombre]

I suppose it cuts both ways. While the terms are perplexing and seeming nonsensical for scientific minded people, the same language attracts a whole separate group of people to be interested in astrological events

[@therealpaulallen]

Comment for the algorithm.

[@christophwagenknecht178]

I think Bloodmoon isn't such a bad name. Blood is red, the Moon is red, it fits. What really triggers me is the term "blue Moon", when there are two full moons in one month. It doesn't make any fucking sense at all!

[@RyanRidden]

You're quite right, at least blood moon makes sense!

[@richardbrockie]

@@RyanRidden Blue moon has a much longer history and, at least for me, makes perfect sense due to being brought up with the idiom. Language isn't static, and while I also rail against the nonsensical "blood moon", it will make perfect sense for future generations if usage becomes common.

[@brownro214]

Cursing isn't necessary to make your argument. I may have to start censoring Ryan's videos before my grandchildren watch them.